Friday, August 11, 2006

PRICHARD, Ala. (AP) -- The city of Prichard has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a federal lawsuit that alleges a man fractured his skull when a police officer threw him to the ground during an altercation.

City Attorney Willie Huntley Jr. said James Allen Woodard, who accused Jason Hardy Hunt of police brutality after the incident that occurred on March 22, 2005, initially sought $25 million from the city but agreed this week to settle for $100,000.

Huntley said Prichard already has paid Woodard $30,000.

He will receive $20,000 in each of the next three years, followed by a $10,000 payment. The settlement comes before Hunt is scheduled to stand trial Monday on federal criminal charges arising from the incident during which police searched Woodard for drugs in the parking lot of a convenience store. Finding none, they let him go, according to the trial brief.

Woodard shouted profanities at the officers and quickly walked toward them. At that point, Hunt threw him to the ground, slamming his head on the pavement several times. He spent eight days in the hospital with a skull fracture, back pain and a fracture to his right ear bone that resulted in hearing loss.

$100,000 isn't nearly enough money for a fractured skull, injured back and hearing loss. That alone should be worth $10 million. Another $20 to $30 million should be thrown in for having asshole cops who like to search people for drugs without a warrant. I'd say the cops are lying when they claim this man cursed them walked fast towards them...Yeah right...think about that for a minute....Prichard, being majority black, I'm gonna assume the abused was a brother and while a brother can run 9 times out of 10 they usually run AWAY from the cops....and with damn good reason as is evidenced by this story.